Physical Therapy - 909 Reasons Why

Physical Therapy - 909 Reasons Why
Earlier this year, Physical Therapy slipped out a techno EP for Work Them Records that, in contrast to his wonky past work, almost sounded normal. But it would be foolish to assume that this meant the producer, real name Daniel Fisher, was heading towards a more streamlined style. (After all, he once told RA that he'd "be sad" if he was ever "just producing two big-room techno singles a year.") True to form, Fisher's latest EP, 909 Reasons Why, ditches the metallic sheen of its predecessor in favor of swollen and rough-cut club tunes.

Fisher has played with genre, tempo and—to an extent—humor, but this record gets its personality from a palette of massive sounds. The title track is a boomy techno throbber full of bleepy sirens, searing hats and a relentless kick, but at the midpoint the whole thing is offset with soothing pads. "Leipzig Swing" is slightly more oddball, with its rough and fuzzy drum patterns pounding like a brigade marching through the streets. What makes it eccentric is the climax—after working itself up with defiant head-banging, the track drops into an unexpected moment of silence. On "Gasoline," Fisher rolls out his weirdest sounds so far, turning rancid synths into a druggy but undeniably functional dance floor heater. In other words, once again thinking out of his own box.